NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

For NHRA racers and fans, today is arguably the most important day of the year as champions will be crowned at the sport’s landmark event, the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals. Lives will be changed forever as 16 champions are crowned, including four in the Camping World NHRA series pro categories, Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

The Top Fuel field is quick with all 16 qualifiers sandwiched between Steve Torrence’s 3.708 and the 3.822 of Will Smith, who holds down the bump spot and will be Torrence’s round one opponent. Justin Ashley will look to keep his incredible season alive when he takes on Doug Foley while the most intriguing match of the opening round will pit Brittany Force against Antron Brown in a battle of two drivers who are among the favorites to win the 2023 Top Fuel championship.

Robert Hight sits atop the Funny Car field after running a 3.853 in his Cornwell Tools Chevy on Saturday and he’ll face Paul Lee’s McLeod Dodge in round one. Hight’s side of the ladder is stacked with talent as it also includes Tim Wilkerson, Chad Green, Matt Hagan, and reigning world champion Ron Capps, who has further endeared himself to Indy fans with a throwback paint scheme that pays tribute to NHRA legend Don “the Snake” Prudhomme.

The bottom half of the Funny Car ladder isn’t exactly a cakewalk as it features Bob Tasca III, Norwalk winner Blake Alexander, Alexis DeJoria, Cruz Pedregon, and the sport’s most successful driver, John Force. Alexander is one driver worth watching as he must win the event in order to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Alexander’s team owner, Jim Head, has two Indy wins to his credit.

As usual, there isn’t much separating the top 16 drivers in Pro Stock as low qualifier Matt Hartford ran 6.569 and he’s got just over a tenth cushion against his round one opponent, Mason McGaha. Some of the best matchups of the opening round will include championship leader Dallas Glenn vs. Deric Kramer, Kyle Koretsky vs. defending Indy winner Greg Anderson and Erica Enders vs. Chris McGaha.

Gaige Herrera has won just about everything there is to win in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class this season but he does not yet have an Indy title to his credit. Herrera will look to add the sport’s crown jewel to his resumé today when he takes his Vance & Hines Suzuki up against Cory Reed in the opening round. Eliminations will feature a rematch of the 2013 Indy final when Matt Smith takes on John Hall while Angie Smith faces a tough draw in Marc Ingwersen.

By Monday afternoon, champions should also be crowned in the FuelTech Pro Mod Series presented by Type A Motorsports, the FlexJet Factory Stock class and the all-new Factory X presented by Holley. There will also be Lucas Oil Series winners in Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Right Trailers Top Dragster and Right Trailers Top Sportsman.

Here's you're official cheat sheet for the event:

2022 EVENT WINNERS

Antron Brown, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock; Matt Smith, Pro Stock Motorcycle

MOST VICTORIES

Tony Schumacher, 10, TF; John Force, Ed McCulloch, 5, FC; Bob Glidden, 9, Pro Stock, Dave Schultz, 6, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

TRACK RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.640 seconds by Brittany Force, Sept. '22; 337.75 mph by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘22

Funny Car - 3.799 seconds by Matt Hagan, Sept. '17; 338.77 mph by Hagan, Sept. '17

Pro Stock - 6.538 seconds by Jason Line, Sept. '11; 211.13 mph by Mike Edwards, Sept. '12

Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.746 seconds by Gaige Herrera, Sept. 23; 201.16 mph by Matt Smith, Sept. 22.

NATIONAL RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. '19, Reading, Pa.; 338.94 mph by Brittany Force, Nov. ‘22, Pomona, Calif.

Funny Car - 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. '17, Brainerd; 339.87 mph by Robert Hight, July ’17, Sonoma, Calif.

Pro Stock - 6.450 sec. by Erica Enders, March '22, Gainesville, Fla.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May '14, Englishtown, N.J.

Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.665 sec. by Karen Stoffer, March 22, Gainesville, Fla.; 205.04 mph by Matt Smith, Sonoma, Calif., July 21.

EVENT SCHEDULE (Eastern Time)

MONDAY, September 4

Pre-Race ceremonies begin at 9 a.m.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series eliminations begin at 10:00 a.m.

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

MONDAY, Sept. 4, FS1 will televise two hours of finals coverage at noon.

Monday, Sept. 4, FOX TV will televise three hours of finals coverage at 2 p.m.

Watch all day on NHRA.tv